Teddy’s Bear

Valentine’s Day is a holiday that started as a Christian feast day in observance of the death of Saint Valentine on February 14th in ancient times. Fast-forward to 1969, and Mr. Valentine was officially removed from the Roman Catholic Calendar of Saints, due to questions arising about his antiquated Sainthood having been established with not much else known about him.

(Not that a little thing like that would stop our taking an opportunity to celebrate!) And who doesn’t think that a stuffed animal is a fabulous gift idea? But where on Earth did this odd tradition of stuffing animals originate? Well, as the story goes, our former president Theodore “Teddy” Roosevelt went on a hunting trip in the early 1900s. Since Roosevelt had not killed a bear yet, some of the other hunting-trip attendees clobbered a bear and tied it to a tree for the former President to shoot. Of course, this went against all of the rules of hunting that Roosevelt, an avid naturalist / conservationist / outdoors man, believed in. He felt sorry for the poor creature and requested for the others to end its misery.

The story doesn’t stop there. The story leaked to the press, who in turn sensationalized it by transforming it into an editorial cartoon. The cartoon showed Roosevelt disapproving of the small, fluffy, adorable black bear tied to the tree behind him.

This inspired a toy maker to make a stuffed bear cub and name it “Teddy’s Bear”. Thus, the craze for plush toys had begun. So, with Valentine’s Day just around the corner, you may be looking for the perfect gifts for this special day. We offer unique wholesale priced stuffed plush animals that are appropriate presents for both children and adults alike. Start your own tradition this year by giving one of our stuffed toys as gifts or prizes for your next holiday or fundraiser!